


Deal

by 9liseraph6



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Desus - Freeform, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-11 08:56:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18427250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/9liseraph6/pseuds/9liseraph6
Summary: Some fluffy little thing that ignores canon. Takes place in an au where Negan was never born :)





	Deal

**Author's Note:**

> Some fluffy little thing that ignores canon. Takes place in an au where Negan was never born :)

They were all at the table, at the exception of Daryl Paul noted sadly. He exchanged a worried look with Maggie who, like Paul, was looking at the empty seat. She furrowed her brow and looked over at Rick and Michonne. They were chatting happily and didn't seem to have noticed their friend's absence. Paul excused them, though. Rick had been away for almost an entire month and they had reunited only this morning. Paul watched with a smile on his face as Rick kissed his little girl on the brow, then decided to look for Daryl. When he got up all eyes were on him, so he lied and said he had to go to the loo. Maggie saw through the lie as she always did, but Paul didn't take the time to explain to her and just left the room in search of the biker.

He searched the Barrington House in its entirety and didn't find him. He furrowed his brow in concern, and proceeded to go and look outside. It was too dark to see more than a few meters away. He walked to his trailer to retrieve a flash light and searched the camp. To his surprise, he came accross Siddiq who was taking a walk around the Hilltop. Paul was ashamed not to have noticed he was missing.

\- Everything okay ? Paul asked.

\- Yeah, he tried to reassure him and failed.

\- You're sure ?

\- I just needed to get away for a little while. But don't worry, Jesus. It's nothing.

After a brief pause Siddiq spoke again.

\- What are _you_ doing out here ?

\- Daryl didn't show up at dinner, he explained, and... Maggie was getting worried. I said I'd just go and look for him.

\- I've actually just ran into him before I did you. He said he didn't want the camp to be left unguarded and went up the battlements to take watch. I told him to come and have a bit of Eugene's excellent ratatouille but he said he wasn't hungry. Between you and me, I'm a bit worried about him. It's not the first time he doesn't eat this week.

\- No ? How do you know ?

\- A doctor picked up on these things, Siddiq only said before returning inside, patting Paul on the shoulder in passing.

Paul hesitated. Maybe Daryl needed some time on his own. Maybe he shouldn't go and talk to him. After all, Siddiq had already proposed him to come and have dinner. What else could Paul say to the other man ? Daryl might find it odd of him to have looked everywhere for him, they weren't that close after all. But Paul had to admit to himself, if not to the others, that he quite liked the biker. All of their conversations had never lasted more than a minute but Paul found himself inevitably attracted to Daryl. Something in him intrigued Paul, something that made him curious about his past, about what was inside that strong head of his, about him in general. The thing was, Paul didn't know the other man's sexual orientation. Did he even like men ? He had had crush on straight men before and it hurt. He didn't want it to happen again so he never really tried and got close to Daryl and Daryl never came to him, either. But tonight, Paul was worried. And according to Siddiq he had apparently every right to be.

After contemplating leaving Daryl alone, Paul took the decision to join him on the battlements, anyway. When he saw him, his heart skipped a beat. In the moonlight, Daryl was beautiful. He was a good looking man in daylight as well, but in this moment Paul thought he had never seen someone so beautiful. A sort of wild beauty that Paul fell in love with the second his eyes had settled on Daryl. He didn't know how long he froze, but it had to be some time because his foot were starting to hurt to stay in the same position for too long. He took an hesitant step towards Daryl. The other man was too lost in his own thoughts to notice his presence and jumped when he turned his head mecanically to his left to find him staring. Both men remained silent for a while. Daryl seemed confused, and Paul was petrified. He didn't show it, though. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Paul got closer and smiled in what he hoped was an easy going kind of smile.

\- I thought I was the only one who didn't like Eugene's cooking, he joked to break the ice.

Daryl snorted and went back to thoughtfully gazing at the horizon.

\- I didn't see you at dinner at all, though, Paul said tentatively.

\- I wasn't hungry.

\- Well, you didn't miss much, Paul said then, feeling slightly bad for trashing Eugene's cooking skills like that.

He laughed nervously when Daryl snorted for the second time, desperately trying to find another subject of which they could talk about. Paul didn't have to think long, Daryl was the one speaking again after a moment.

\- Is that why you didn't stay for the dessert ? he asked humorously, which made Paul laugh again.

\- I did have the dessert. When I was asked if I wanted another slice of cake, I ran away.

Daryl laughed this time, a real laugh that made Paul's heart beat fast against his chest. They calmed down and a comfortable silence settled, both men looking at the beautiful view before them, the stars and moon shining brightly. Paul sat down, his feet starting to hurt very badly. Daryl did the same, and his arm brushed against Paul's. Their proximity reminded Paul of the time they had shared a bike for two. Paul had tried not to hold onto the other man but had succombed to it eventually, his arms tightly squeezed against Daryl's waist. The biker had not pushed him away.

Paul watched as Daryl's finger made circles on his knee. He did it without realising it, seemingly lost in thought again. Paul was happy Daryl was comfortable enough around him to do that. He felt a sense of peace going through all of his body from just sitting besides the man he liked in silence. It was like time had stopped. Like they were in their own little bubble of peace and quiet. It's the moment Glenn chose to interrupt them. Neither of them had heard the young man climbing onto the battlements. They started at the sight of him.

\- Sorry, he said, laughing, surprised to have made them jump. Rick's looking for you, Daryl.

\- What does he want ? he asked in a somewhat annoyed tone that brought a little smile on Paul's face.

\- He didn't say. Just asked where you are and I said I'll find out. Maggie was a little worried, too. She said you didn't eat anything today.

Daryl seemed embarrassed by Maggie having taken notice of that. He got up to join Rick and the others, leaving Paul alone with Glenn.

\- Is everything okay with him ? Glenn asked him.

\- I don't know, Paul confessed.

 

                                                                                                                                ***

 

Paul had trouble going to sleep that night, still too excited by the moment he had shared with Daryl a couple of hours ago. He kept seeing Daryl's face in the moonlight, looking into the distance as if nothing existed but him and the moon. If he had a camera, he would have had taken a picture. He rolled over in his bed, trying to find a comfortable enough position when he heard knocking on his door. He reluctanly got out of the warmth of his bed to open the door. The cold air sent shivers through his whole body but Daryl's face made his cheeks burn. Paul was wearing nothing but his underwear. He took his coat hanging at his right and put him on to cover himself from the cold.

\- Daryl ?

Despite the wind that moved Daryl's hair and hid half his face Paul realised with horror that the other man was a sobbing mess. Paul took him by the arm and led him Inside.

\- Something happened ? Paul asked urgently, fearing for his friends' safety.

\- No. Just… It's just me.

Paul exhaled loudly, both relieved that nothing had happened and worried for Daryl. He had Daryl take a sit and calmed down a little with a glass of water and some biscuits that the other man ate in silence. Paul didn't want to rush him so he waited until Daryl spoke up.

\- I don't know who to turn to, he began faintly. So, I came here.

\- Daryl, what's going on ? Paul asked calmly.

\- I don't know what's wrong with me, Daryl answered hastily. I can't sleep, I can't eat, I feel… horrible all the time. And everyone else's just so happy, as if things came back to normal and I can't seem to be happy. I can't. I feel like it's never going to be normal again for me. I'm just so tired of this life. Of this. The walkers, my brother and my friends being dead, fucking Eugene cooking like he got no care in the world ! I can't move on. I can't forget. I know I gotta but I can't. I can't...

Daryl had said all this without stopping once and had left Paul appalled.

\- I'm sorry, Daryl apologised softly, still crying his eyes out. I'm sorry.

\- Never be sorry for coming to me with your problems, Daryl, Paul affirmed. I'm here, OK ? I'm here for you. You don't have to carry all this on your own. You know, I feel this way, too sometimes. It's natural. It's human. We can't always be happy no matter how hard we try. We like to pretend we are because it's easy. You don't do easy.

\- I just miss them so much. Hershel, Beth, Andrea, Tyreese... my brother… I just wish they weren't dead. I wish… I wish I'd died instead. It wouldn't hurt as much.

\- I'm so sorry you feel this way. And for your loss. Losing so many people, I can't even begin to imagine what that's like. But you're not alone in this, Daryl. Not everyone's dead.

Paul hoped his words could help ease Daryl's pain even though he felt like just having put words onto it had done much of the work. Daryl looked up at Paul and stared. Paul tried hard not to shy away. Not knowing what to say then, Paul reached out and took Daryl's hands in his in comfort.

\- Did you have a family ? Daryl asked, to Paul's surprise, unsettling him. Before all this.

\- No. I grew up in a group home. I've never known my parents. I don't even know if I've got any brothers or sisters. I don't know what it's like to lose somebody. I've never even had somebody to lose before I met you. All of you, he added quickly.

 

                                                                                                                                             ***

 

Daryl spent the night in his trailer. Paul left him the bed, insisted for a solid minute for him to have it, and slept on the couch. He slept wonderfully and woke up to find Daryl still soundly asleep. Paul hoped the other man had slept as well as he did.

When Daryl woke up, Paul had already got dressed and had breakfast. He had left bread and a glass of milk on the table for him. They both sat down, Daryl to eat and Paul to make sure he does. They didn't exchange a word, but Paul found the quiet as peaceful as it had been the night before on the battlements. He watched Daryl finish his glass and got up, his heart tightening in his chest. He didn't want him to leave. And oddly enough, Daryl didn't look like he was eager to leave, either. He danced from one foot to another next to the door, as if he was trying to decide what to do. Paul stood on his feet and carefully got closer to him.

\- You don't have to get out now if you don't want to.

\- I do. My shift starts in a couple of minutes. I gotta relieve Rosita.

\- Don't go, Paul ordered gently. I'll relieve her. You stay here and rest some more and I don't tell Eugene you didn't come to dinner last night because of his atrocious cooking.

Daryl smirked, and then he laughed softly which made Paul happy.

\- You were the one shitting on his cooking all night, Daryl pointed out.

\- He doesn't know that. So, he said after, do we have a deal ?

Daryl sighed and gave Paul a little nod. Paul massaged Daryl's arm tenderly and left the trailer with a happy smile on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> Will add chapters if inspired. Hope you enjoyed it !


End file.
